Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 2151 to 2175 of 4976 results

2151. Christmas Is a God-Thing

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

King Duncan

... as He lay down his life for us. But time after time we fail the test of love and compassion, just as we failed the test of keeping all the ceremonial and moral laws. We don’t have it in us to love as Christ loved us. Robert Morris tells a somewhat amusing and ... you serve God in our community. I am so thankful for each of you. But none of us, no matter how much good we do, cannot keep it up forever. We cannot love as Christ loved. Our love is a drop in the ocean compared to the love Christ showed for us on ...

2152. Life Is Yours

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ” has given us all sorts of “disaster preparedness” plans—-personal, community, state, and national. We get flu shots. We get pneumonia shots. We make a family “escape plan” for getting out of the house if it catches fire. We keep an emergency roadside kit in the trunk of our car. We participate in “fire drills” and “emergency evacuations.” Some of us are “prepared” enough to stockpile bottled water, canned foods, prescriptions medications, batteries and blankets. We buy new snow ...

2153. Matthew 25:1-13

Matthew 25:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... lamps. The “foolish” ones do not. Even though there is no stated reason to expect the need for additional oil supplies, half of these “bridesmaids” look firmly enough towards the coming celebration to make absolutely sure that nothing will keep them from attending. Sure enough, in true wedding tradition, the “bridegroom”—-and so the entire entourage—-is “delayed.” Interestingly, the parable next makes a point of revealing that as these bridesmaids waited for their big moment, “all of ...

2154. I'll Alter Him

Humor Illustration

... your gaze fixed upon the aisle down which you will walk. When you are about half way down the aisle, raise your eyes just a bit until you can see the altar and keep your gaze fixed there until you are nearly to the front, and then lift your gaze just the slightest bit until you see him him who is your beloved." The day of the wedding came. The church was full. The Wedding March began. The doors opened and there stood the ...

2155. The Four Sacred Chords of Home

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... watchmen, always on guard for the return of their master. If the return of the Son of Man will be marked by the gathering together, the “home-coming” of the elect, then it is imperative that those who know he is coming to bring them “home” keep awake. The role of those waiting for the homeowner to return is twofold: first, to “beware” or “be on guard;” and second, to “be alert.” The watchman-at-the-gate’s appointed role is to be prepared for and alert to the master’s homecoming. That ...

2156. Be Hatched or Go Bad

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ’s classic Pilgrim’s Progress (1678). Here is a letter Bunyan wrote to a friend while in prison: For though men keep my outward man Within their bolts and bars, Yet, by faith of Christ, I can Mount higher than the stars. We ... wonder who might be available at this early hour to roll the stone away for them. Since the whole point of sealing tombs was to keep out grave robbers, the process of sliding the stone covering into a groove was much more easily accomplished than getting the smooth, handle-free ...

2157. Stand by Me

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , this is the biggest and earliest direct revealing of his claim to divinity. No one controls the winds; no one calms the waves; no one calms the weather, except the one who created them all, the Lord God, the Creator of the universe. Because Jesus could keep climates in the palm of his hand, he had no fear of the forces of nature. Among the twelve disciples there were four professional fishermen. Everyone else had grown up and lived alongside the Sea of Galilee. Yet here they were, all fearful of the deep ...

2158. Watch Your Step

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... expandable bag, making sure that whatever comes your way on your trip, you are prepared? Parents traveling with small children embody both extremes. They bring enough “kid gear,” emergency medicines, food and drink boxes, stuffed animals, and beloved story-books to keep the children satisfied for weeks. But they’re lucky if they get a toothbrush and a change of socks for themselves. It is the Boy Scouts’ motto of “Be Prepared” vs. the new airline mantra of “you pay for every pound.” Once ...

2159. Walls, Walls, Everywhere Walls

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

King Duncan

... being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” The wall St. Paul is referring to in specific is the wall between Jews and Gentiles. The first Christian congregation was all Jewish and most of the members would have preferred to keep it that way. But Simon Peter had a vision and St. Paul had a passion, and together they broke down the wall that kept Gentiles out. They began to understand that Jesus didn’t like walls any kind of walls particularly walls that made some people ...

2160. Go, Climb A Mountain!

Luke 9:28-36 (37-43)

Sermon

Cynthia Cowen

... trying. It'll happen." His confidence built up yours. "Ready! Set! Go!" he called and you were off again. This time, when he let go, you were ready and set, and bicycling down the sidewalk on your own. "That's it! You're doing it. Just keep your eyes on the goal," a shout from behind came. Then your helper surprised you by running ahead. You saw him there - grin on his face. "You did it! You did it!" What a rush! Victory over fear! Victory over past failures! Victory! Yes, there was victory. That's what ...

2161. Low-Carb Christians

John 21:1-19

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... and fish. It was the same meal that was crucial to Christianity's spread. Look at murals of the ancient Love Feast. Jews and Gentiles had different dietary constraints, but they could both eat bread and fish. The resurrection meal found its way to their shared table. Keep in mind that in the Greek culture of the Roman Empire and the Hebrew way of thinking the natural world was a good thing, and God's gift of the body was good. This is not the only resurrection story that emphasizes how we meet Jesus around ...

2162. The Speed Bump On the Road to Bethlehem

Luke 3:1-6

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... lives of your fellow worshipers ... see Jesus present in the sacraments ... see Jesus in the faces of those whose needs we seek to meet ... see Jesus in the pages of scripture. Clearer and clearer the picture comes. Can you see it yet? Look ... look ... and keep on looking. It will come into focus. "I see and I say." And prophets don't joke. "All humankind (even you and I) will see God's salvation." Jesus. 1. Life Or Something Like It, Regency Enterprises, 2002, directed by Stephen Herek, screenplay by John ...

2163. Good Gossip

James 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... 3 and 3:6 — suggesting that he is not only aware of how the tongue influences the individual, but how the teacher’s tongue shapes and direct the movement and mindset of the whole Christbody community. The words of one can affect the witness of all. To keep the powerful tongue in check requires “a bridle,” a term that both recalls 1:26 and connects this directive to James’ next illustration of the “bit” in 3:3. In 3:3-5a James uses two metaphors. Both were familiar to his listeners and familiar ...

2164. The Golf Shot That Destroyed an Airforce

Mark 9:42-50

Sermon

King Duncan

... wants to help you deal with that. That is the message of the cross. Christ loves you so much that he will go to any length to keep you from making a mess of your life. And if you have already made a mess of your life, he is waiting to forgive you of your ... sermon, but it comes from the lips of the Master. And so we should listen. Sin is serious business. Get it out of your life. Keep it out of your life for your sake and for the sake of those around you. Let Christ help you get your life in order. Nobody ...

2165. Open the Window, Aunt Minnie, Here It Comes!

Jeremiah 33:1-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... that excited. At least maybe you will be just as determined to spread the good news of Christ as the two young girls who lifted up Christ after the storm swept through their town so that everyone could see their Savior. God always keeps His promises. Jesus is the Savior of the world. That’s exciting. Watch out, Aunt Minnie, Christmas is coming! 1. Saul Wisnia with Dan Schlossberg, Wit and Wisdom of Baseball (Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International, Ltd., 1999), p. 181. 2. http://www.lectionarysermons ...

2166. Enemies of the Cross

Philippians 3:17 - 4:1

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... eyebrows. If they are especially bold, they might even protest. Even lifelong Christians in the class might be uncomfortable with this answer. "But, pastor, I have to do something, don't I? At least I have to believe, don't I?" But I stick to my guns and keep on insisting on the nothing. The problem is with the question. It assumes that we have to do something. Yes, faith is important. Yes, it is only by faith in Christ that we are saved. But faith is something that we get to do, willingly, freely, joyfully ...

2167. God’s Chain Reaction

Romans 5:1-5

Sermon

April Yamasaki

... translations use the word "perseverance" — like the persistent widow that kept going back to the judge for justice again and again and again. Or the Energizer Bunny that goes on and on and on. Endurance means we keep putting one foot in front of the other, we keep taking it one day at a time, we keep holding on even if it means we're holding on only by our fingernails. When there is suffering and perseverance, the third element in the chain is character. The Greek word for "character" here is dokimas that ...

2168. When God Adds Insult to Injury

Colossians 2:6-15

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... essence of this phrase from Colossians. Often the saying on the poster goes like this, "If you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk." Colossians exhorts us to walk in Christ. The image of walking makes us think of exercise. We have to keep our relationship with Christ in shape. Walking implies movement. We cannot stay in the same place. Our relationship with Christ takes effort; it is not static. This is sound teaching for all Christians. The next image in verse 7 comes from the construction industry ...

2169. God as a Consuming Fire

Hebrews 12:18-29

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... messages of God's love and forgiveness, mercy and care are intertwined with messages of God's judgment and punishment. We cannot separate them out, keeping only what we want. In the movie Wall-E, the little robot finds a diamond engagement ring in its original box. He throws the ring away and keeps the box! We might wish we could throw the judgment passages away and keep the love, but that would not be the best thing for our souls, for our spiritual development. The passages about judgment are there for a ...

2170. The Unchanging Christ in a Changing World

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... something we can count on. The world seems as if it changes overnight. Technology, world events, oil prices, and a host of other things all seem to want to pull the rug out from under us. In the midst of all that change, Christ gives us an anchor, something to keep us from being tossed about by all of the change. No matter how modern we become, or how sophisticated, we still look back to a man who lived 2,000 years ago as the pioneer of our faith. Jesus the Christ never drove a car; never used a land line ...

2171. A Peaceful Life in an Unpeaceful World

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... , even big mistakes, but let us pray for them. Even if they act in despicable ways, let us pray for them. Let us pray for them because we believe in prayer. Let us pray for them because we never know what our prayers accomplish. It may be that our prayers keep things from becoming even worse. Let us pray for our leaders because of what it does for us if we pray for them. If we pray for them, we might be less cynical. If we pray for our president and our leaders, we will remain engaged in current events. If ...

2172. Guarding the Treasure

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... much, we spend too much, we exercise too little, we read too little, and we pray too little. As we said, the three things reinforce each other. We need power to love. We need self-discipline in order to have power. If we practice the discipline of keeping in shape, we have physical power. If we practice the self-discipline of feeding our faith, we will have spiritual power. The first way we guard the treasure is within ourselves. When we guard the treasure in ourselves, when we fan the flames of our faith ...

2173. All Roads Lead To Bethlehem

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... like “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” or “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The world wants, the world needs, to celebrate Christmas. But the world does its best to keep Jesus out of it. Perhaps the first “Christmas carol” Christians should sing, in keeping with the theme of “Advent,” is the Willie Nelson special “On the Road Again.” As stores keep having cut-rate sales and on-line deals; and as holiday partying, parades, and posturing swamp every level of our lives: it is good to stand back and ...

2174. Sold!

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

Sermon

Chrysanne Timm

... Jeremiah and Ezekiel and others is a word of consolation. The word these prophets are given by God to speak is a word of hope. Jeremiah demonstrates his trust in this promise of hope by buying land and securing its deed in an earthenware jar that will keep it safe over the years until he or other family members return to reclaim it. These words are not merely Jeremiah's attempt to appease King Zedekiah! In chapter 32 alone, the phrases, "The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord" and "Thus says the Lord ...

2175. Not Another Rerun!

Jeremiah 31:27-34

Sermon

R. Kevin Mohr

... old covenants. The covenant at Sinai in particular also emphasized the initiative of God and an intimate relationship between God and his people (Exodus 19:1-6). The point is that God's character remains constant and trustworthy; what changes is humanity and its desire to keep the law and the covenant. That change is represented in the words, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:33). The covenant at Sinai ...

Showing results